Gas turbine engines are formed of stator components which are suitably joined together to define working fluid paths for directing for example, compressed air, hot combustion gases, etc. therethrough. Various types of static seals must be provided between the stator components to reduce or prevent undesirable leakage of either the pressurized air or the hot combustion gases. Some seals are full rings, or may be circumferentially split at one location to eliminate undesirable hoop stress therein. The seals are subject to various differential thermal movement between the adjoining components, including differential radial and/or axial movement. Relative radial and axial deflections are common between the aft end of the combustor outer liner and the forward end of the outer band of the adjoining high pressure turbine nozzle. Under the high temperature of the combustion gases produced in the combustor, the outer liner can expand radially outwardly, significantly more than the radially outer expansion of the outer end of the adjoining high pressure turbine nozzle. Furthermore, the axial gap between the two components may also grow substantially larger during operation.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved sealing ring for sealing high excursion differential radial and axial movement between gas turbine engine stator components.